While no less than five of the fearsome LifeLive TN11 chassis will be lined up in the CrossCar category this year by Estonian outfit PACE Motorsport, Elias Svensson doesn’t seem to be afraid of the Belgian manufacturer’s assault on the RallyX championship.
Once again, the 2024 RallyX championship campaign looks set to be a turbulent one. While Speecar will continue to win the majority of votes with more than twenty machines still on the grid, Casmat will be the second strongest force on the grid with six vehicles in RallyX.
Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the 2024 season will see the LifeLive chassis competing at the highest level. Feared in the European CrossCar Championship last season, the new TN11 model will be entrusted to three of the category’s leading figures.
In addition to Jimmie Osterberg (3 wins and 11 podiums in his RallyX career), Martin Juga (1 win and 3 podiums in 2023) and Pasi Penttinen (1 win and 3 podiums in his career) will also have the TN11 chassis at their disposal.
Three threats perfectly identified by Elias Svensson
Pace Motorsport is bringing three extremely fast drivers, but they will also have to learn how to use the new chassis on the RallyX championship circuits,” Elias points out.
“I don’t know how many test sessions they will have had before the start of the season, but everyone knows that it is always the mastery of the final details that makes the difference. It’s never easy to discover a new car and at the same time be consistent and fast every time you go out on track.
Elias Svensson is well aware of his rivals’ potential, but he also knows that the Pace Motorsport drivers will have to work twice as hard to get to grips with the TN11 chassis.
“Getting a perfect car is a huge amount of work and it always takes time to gain full confidence behind the wheel and to make the final adjustments. I don’t really know what to expect from Pace Motorsport, but I’m sure they’ll be in the top 5 or 10. In any case, this championship is so competitive that it’s difficult to predict anything.”
What’s more, while the trio of Osterberg, Juga and Penttinen will inevitably be expected to perform well, Elias Svensson knows that the Casmat drivers will do their utmost to make life difficult for them.
“Of course, Juga, Penttinen and Osterberg are all in the same team, so they’ll be able to work together and try to progress as quickly as possible, but it will be the same for the Casmat drivers. Whether it’s Alexander Heum, Erik Nilsson or myself, we’ll also be working together to try and find the best possible set-up every weekend.”
“Erik and I talk a lot and often get together to discuss technical matters. With Alexander Heum it’s a bit different because we didn’t know each other until last season. I got to know him over the course of the 2023 Championship and whenever we get the chance we also discuss set-ups and technical aspects whenever we can. Even though we’re all fighting for victory on the track, we always help each other out once we’ve taken off our helmets.”
One thing’s for sure, Elias Svensson takes a very positive view of the offensive led by LifeLive and Pace Motorsport.
“The fact that all these brands are capable of winning makes this championship even more exciting. Until the last few seasons, Speedcar has really been the reference in our category, but we can see that things are starting to change as other manufacturers are now able to develop competitive machines.”
